


Remember

by carrionkid



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Past Abuse, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2016-11-08
Packaged: 2018-08-29 19:59:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8503423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carrionkid/pseuds/carrionkid
Summary: More of my traumatized faves!! This is another vignette that takes place in season 3, after Merle comes back to live at the prison. This is a little exploration of what Daryl's feeling after Merle's back.-“Daryl, you look like shit,” Carol smiled sadly at him as she said it; she’s as direct and blunt as ever but never malicious.“You don’t look too good yourself.” He smirked at her. They’re standing in the makeshift laundry room. Carol stepped towards him and he instinctively stepped back, keeping the gap between them the same length.





	

“Daryl, you look like shit,” Carol smiled sadly at him as she said it; she’s as direct and blunt as ever but never malicious.

“You don’t look too good yourself.” He smirked at her. They’re standing in the makeshift laundry room. Carol stepped towards him and he instinctively stepped back, keeping the gap between them the same length.

 

“Have you slept?” She sounded more serious this time. 

 

“Have you?” 

 

They worked in silence. Daryl pinned clothes up on the clothesline while Carol scrubbed at the dirty clothes. 

 

Finally, Daryl took a deep breath and said, “It’s hard sharin’ a room with him. Reminds me of when we were kids.”

 

Carol nodded, “It makes sense.”

 

“A two bedroom house was cheaper than a three bedroom one. Me n’ Merle shared a room. He’d always sleep like the dead, snorin’ like hell, an’ I’d be lyin’ awake, listenin’ to mom n’ dad fighting.” 

 

Carol could see his hands shaking, holding Beth’s shirt. She set down the jacket she was working a bloodstain out of and walked over to Daryl. She took the shirt from him and pinned it up, but his hands stayed where they were, like he wasn’t sure what to do with them. Carol grabbed onto them, steadying them.

 

“Sometimes I swear I can smell the cigarette smoke n’ booze.” Daryl looked down at the ground; Carol very slowly moved to press her hand against his cheek. He leaned into the touch, pressing his hand against hers.

 

“Come sleep with me.” 

 

Daryl stepped back and shook his head, “I can’t.”

 

Carol closed her eyes and nodded, things like these weren’t easy.

 

“He’s my brother.” He said it like it was an explanation.

 

“That doesn’t mean he’s good for you.”

 

He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, then thought against it and looked back down at the ground.

 

“Daryl?” Carol made her voice as soft as she could; he looked up, not quite meeting her eyes.

“You know I’m always gonna be here for you, right?” 

 

He smiled, the first genuine one she’s seen from him in a long time, “I know.” 

 

“Good.” She smiled back and headed back to the tub full of wet clothes.

 

“Carol?” Daryl pinned a pair of pants to the clothesline.

 

“Yeah?” She looked up at him.

 

“Thank you.”

 

She smiled to herself and got back to work.


End file.
